Description
This Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce bursts with flavor while remaining easy to prepare. With just a few key ingredients, it’s the perfect choice for a quick dinner or a healthy meal that’s sure to please.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 medium size japanese eggplant
- 1 tablespoon oil (preferably sesame oil)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons liquid coconut amino or tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sherry
- 4-5 dry red chilis (optional)
- ½ teaspoon chili garlic paste or chili flakes (adjust per spice tolerance)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Green onions or scallions
Instructions
- Cut the eggplant into ½ to ¾ inch cubes.
- Sprinkle salt on the cubes and rub it in, letting them sit for 10 minutes to improve texture and reduce bitterness.
- In a pan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.
- Add the ginger and garlic, sautéing until fragrant.
- Stir in the eggplant cubes and cook for a few minutes until they start to soften.
- Mix together the coconut amino (or tamari or soy sauce), rice vinegar, sugar, corn starch, and water in a bowl.
- Pour this mixture over the eggplant and bring to a simmer.
- Add sherry and dry red chilis if using, cooking until the sauce thickens.
- Adjust spice with chili garlic paste or chili flakes.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions before serving.
Notes
Soaking the eggplant in salt helps reduce bitterness and improve the texture.
Adjust the chili levels to match your heat preference.
Serve hot as a side or main dish with rice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg